2013 Baseball Season/Off-Season Discussion

[Falcon]

Every time I hear the term "Melky's fake website" it makes me chuckle.

[pilferk]

Looks like at least part of the first shoe has dropped:

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/9540076/mlb-suspensions-agreed-12-players-report-says

Alex Rodriguez was expected to be served with the harshest penalty, and announcement was expected later Monday.

The players confirmed to be suspended by FoxSports.com are:

? Nelson Cruz, Texas Rangers outfielder (50 games, no appeal).

? Everth Cabrera, San Diego Padres shortstop, (50 games, no appeal).

? Jhonny Peralta, Detroit Tigers shortstop (50 games, no appeal).

? Antonio Bastardo, Philadelphia Phillies reliever (50 games, no appeal).

? Jordany Valdespin, New York Mets outfielder, (50 games, no appeal).
? Francisco Cervelli, Yankees catcher.

? Jesus Montero, Seattle Mariners catcher.

? Cesar Puello, New York Mets outfield prospect.

? Fautino De Los Santos, San Diego Padres pitching prospect.

?  Sergio Escalona, Houston Astros pitching prospect.

? Fernando Martinez, New York Yankees outfield prospect.

? Jordan Norberto, free-agent pitcher.


The minor leaguers, I think, do not get the same appeal process as the MLB players do.  Last comment from Cruz was that he wasn't sure if he was going to appeal....looks like they say he's not.

And (the original source, I guess):
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/major-league-baseball-alex-rodriguez-ped-use-080513

The Nationals starting pitcher Gio Gonzalez and Orioles third baseman Danny Valencia were cleared of any involvement.

[Falcon]

Interesting words from Michael Weiner, not exactly consistent with his earlier statements.

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/08/05/mlbpa-believes-selig-has-not-acted-appropriately-under-the-basic-agreement-in-suspending-a-rod/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

[tim_m]

Well as expected A-Rod's suspension is through the end of the 2014 season and is appealing as expected. So he can play in the meantime. So he will make his season debut tonight in Chicago. It should be interesting to see how everyone reacts.

[tim_m]

It should be interesting to see what transpires this offseason, the MLBPA and MLB plan to discuss harsher penalties for violating the JDA. Personally here's what i'd do. Your first offense you are gone a full season 162 games. No matter when you're caught if its spring training, during the season or playoffs etc. Unless you appeal you miss the next 162 games and if that causes you to miss playoff games oh well. You're the idiot that hurt his team and the game for using banned substances. The second offense you're gone forever period the end. No more fucking around. MLB wants this out of its sport and so do the vast majority of the players, but you have to start giving them a penalty that will scare them. 50 games, 100 games is not scaring some of these assholes. You threaten to make them sit for a full season and you'll see this shit stop.

[Drew]

Figure this would happen! MLB are a bunch of pathetic fools! A-Rod and the others should have been banned for life.

[tim_m]

Figure this would happen! MLB are a bunch of pathetic fools! A-Rod and the others should have been banned for life.

I can see a scenario in the not to distant future where there's one or two strikes an your out. Possibly as soon as next season. The players are totally on board with stiffening the penalties. Like i said in my previous post. First offense gone for a full 162 games. You get caught again fuck you you're gone forever period end of story. No more fucking around.

[pilferk]

Interesting words from Michael Weiner, not exactly consistent with his earlier statements.

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/08/05/mlbpa-believes-selig-has-not-acted-appropriately-under-the-basic-agreement-in-suspending-a-rod/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Like I said before...it's all about precedent.

I suspect...and he all but says it....the union is not keen on letting MLB arbitrarily create a random number ( and 211 sure seems random) and apply it. They want that stuff to be specifically collectively bargained.

Which means they will hold their nose and defend arod to prevent a precedent being set for the rest of their membership.

[pilferk]

Well as expected A-Rod's suspension is through the end of the 2014 season and is appealing as expected. So he can play in the meantime. So he will make his season debut tonight in Chicago. It should be interesting to see how everyone reacts.

It also wouldn't start til Thursday, anyway.

The jda and CBa say that a player has to get 72 hours notice of a suspension before he has to file an appeal/start serving.

Everyone else was notified on Friday. He was not notified, officially, til today.

[tim_m]

Interesting words from Michael Weiner, not exactly consistent with his earlier statements.

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/08/05/mlbpa-believes-selig-has-not-acted-appropriately-under-the-basic-agreement-in-suspending-a-rod/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Like I said before...it's all about precedent.

I suspect...and he all but says it....the union is not keen on letting MLB arbitrarily create a random number ( and 211 sure seems random) and apply it. They want that stuff to be specifically collectively bargained.

Which means they will hold their nose and defend arod to prevent a precedent being set for the rest of their membership.

That's the only reason they're defending him plain and simple. In the end they could care less if he loses crashes and burns. I think we're gonna see a greatly revamped JDA in the very near future possibly for next season.

[tim_m]

Well as expected A-Rod's suspension is through the end of the 2014 season and is appealing as expected. So he can play in the meantime. So he will make his season debut tonight in Chicago. It should be interesting to see how everyone reacts.

It also wouldn't start til Thursday, anyway.

The jda and CBa say that a player has to get 72 hours notice of a suspension before he has to file an appeal/start serving.

Everyone else was notified on Friday. He was not notified, officially, til today.

That's interesting, i wasn't aware of that.

[pilferk]

Figure this would happen! MLB are a bunch of pathetic fools! A-Rod and the others should have been banned for life.

Well...that's not what MLB and the mlbpa negotiaTed in the last CBa. You can't punish them beyond what is contractually agreed upon (which is likely the largest part of arods appeal). No matter how much you might want them to.

I can see this coming up in the offseason, and some strengthening going on. One violation = 162 games, two and you are out.

[pilferk]

Well as expected A-Rod's suspension is through the end of the 2014 season and is appealing as expected. So he can play in the meantime. So he will make his season debut tonight in Chicago. It should be interesting to see how everyone reacts.

It also wouldn't start til Thursday, anyway.

The jda and CBa say that a player has to get 72 hours notice of a suspension before he has to file an appeal/start serving.

Everyone else was notified on Friday. He was not notified, officially, til today.

That's interesting, i wasn't aware of that.

To clarify...he has 72 hours to advise MLB of his intent. He doesn't actually have to have the appeal filed for 10 days after that.

[tim_m]

Figure this would happen! MLB are a bunch of pathetic fools! A-Rod and the others should have been banned for life.

Well...that's not what MLB and the mlbpa negotiaTed in the last CBa. You can't punish them beyond what is contractually agreed upon (which is likely the largest part of arods appeal). No matter how much you might want them to.

I can see this coming up in the offseason, and some strengthening going on. One violation = 162 games, two and you are out.

It appears we agree on what the changes should be. From what players are saying this is essentially what they want to. Some are even wanting to take it further and one strike and you're history. The penalties have to get harsher. 50-100 games just isn't enough of a deterrent.

[tim_m]

Well as expected A-Rod's suspension is through the end of the 2014 season and is appealing as expected. So he can play in the meantime. So he will make his season debut tonight in Chicago. It should be interesting to see how everyone reacts.

It also wouldn't start til Thursday, anyway.

The jda and CBa say that a player has to get 72 hours notice of a suspension before he has to file an appeal/start serving.

Everyone else was notified on Friday. He was not notified, officially, til today.

That's interesting, i wasn't aware of that.

To clarify...he has 72 hours to advise MLB of his intent. He doesn't actually have to have the appeal filed for 10 days after that.

Oh ok, thanks for the clarification on that. I was wondering why it was for 211 games instead of the 214 we'd been hearing.

[pilferk]

Interesting words from Michael Weiner, not exactly consistent with his earlier statements.

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/08/05/mlbpa-believes-selig-has-not-acted-appropriately-under-the-basic-agreement-in-suspending-a-rod/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Like I said before...it's all about precedent.

I suspect...and he all but says it....the union is not keen on letting MLB arbitrarily create a random number ( and 211 sure seems random) and apply it. They want that stuff to be specifically collectively bargained.

Which means they will hold their nose and defend arod to prevent a precedent being set for the rest of their membership.

That's the only reason they're defending him plain and simple. In the end they could care less if he loses crashes and burns. I think we're gonna see a greatly revamped JDA in the very near future possibly for next season.

Wouldn't surprise me to see changes in the offseason.

Also wouldn't surprise me to see arods time dropped significantly during appeal. Like to 150, or, depending on the arbitrator, maybe even 50 to 75, games.

[pilferk]

Figure this would happen! MLB are a bunch of pathetic fools! A-Rod and the others should have been banned for life.

Well...that's not what MLB and the mlbpa negotiaTed in the last CBa. You can't punish them beyond what is contractually agreed upon (which is likely the largest part of arods appeal). No matter how much you might want them to.

I can see this coming up in the offseason, and some strengthening going on. One violation = 162 games, two and you are out.

It appears we agree on what the changes should be. From what players are saying this is essentially what they want to. Some are even wanting to take it further and one strike and you're history. The penalties have to get harsher. 50-100 games just isn't enough of a deterrent.

Players who want one and done are morons, IMHO.

You do not want zero tolerance, because you could screw yourself by making a simple supplement mistake, or not calling the 1-800 number when your doc prescribes something for your upper respiratory infection.

162 games is a tough but fair life lesson.

Losing your livelihood over something boneheaded, or a false positive, or that cute chick on the road slipping something in your shake as she walks out the door....that's just dumb.

[tim_m]

Interesting words from Michael Weiner, not exactly consistent with his earlier statements.

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/08/05/mlbpa-believes-selig-has-not-acted-appropriately-under-the-basic-agreement-in-suspending-a-rod/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Like I said before...it's all about precedent.

I suspect...and he all but says it....the union is not keen on letting MLB arbitrarily create a random number ( and 211 sure seems random) and apply it. They want that stuff to be specifically collectively bargained.

Which means they will hold their nose and defend arod to prevent a precedent being set for the rest of their membership.

That's the only reason they're defending him plain and simple. In the end they could care less if he loses crashes and burns. I think we're gonna see a greatly revamped JDA in the very near future possibly for next season.

Wouldn't surprise me to see changes in the offseason.

Also wouldn't surprise me to see arods time dropped significantly during appeal. Like to 150, or, depending on the arbitrator, maybe even 50 to 75, games.

Me either, something needs to change and its going to happen. MLB wants it the players want it. They want this stuff out of the game period.

I guess that all depends on how damning the evidence is against him and if the arbitrator feels it justifies the suspension MLB gave him. Its unlikely it'll play out before the end of the season. Most likely it'll not be resolved until just after the playoffs end.

[tim_m]

Figure this would happen! MLB are a bunch of pathetic fools! A-Rod and the others should have been banned for life.

Well...that's not what MLB and the mlbpa negotiaTed in the last CBa. You can't punish them beyond what is contractually agreed upon (which is likely the largest part of arods appeal). No matter how much you might want them to.

I can see this coming up in the offseason, and some strengthening going on. One violation = 162 games, two and you are out.

It appears we agree on what the changes should be. From what players are saying this is essentially what they want to. Some are even wanting to take it further and one strike and you're history. The penalties have to get harsher. 50-100 games just isn't enough of a deterrent.

Players who want one and done are morons, IMHO.

You do not want zero tolerance, because you could screw yourself by making a simple supplement mistake, or not calling the 1-800 number when your doc prescribes something for your upper respiratory infection.

162 games is a tough but fair life lesson.

Losing your livelihood over something boneheaded, or a false positive, or that cute chick on the road slipping something in your shake as she walks out the door....that's just dumb.

I agree, i mean i understand where they're coming from they want the game to be clean but one and done you could screw yourself simply by not calling the 1-800 number. I think first offense you sit the next 162 games regardless if its spring training, regular season or playoffs you are caught. It starts immediately. You get caught again you are history. You do that and players are gonna be scared shitless to cheat cause they know they get caught and they miss a season.

[Falcon]

I just saw Jeter got DL'd again with a calf issue.

That would be a story on about any other baseball news day.